Process of preparing paper pulp from marsh reeds



June 29, 1948. L. D. JORDAIN 2,444,047.

. v PROCESS OF PREPARING PAPER PULP FROM MARSH REEDS Filed Now 8, 194s 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Wm M M 2% far-1165b Junezs, 1948. v L."D.'JORDAIN2,444,047

PROCESS OF PREPARING PAPER PULP FRO MARSH REEDS Filed Nov. 8, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 2 filde 7 Louis r-daziz Patented June 29, 1948 PROCESS OFPREPARING PAPER PULP FROM MARSH REEDS Louis D. Jordain, Princeton, Ill.,assignor of onethird to Arthur I. Fleming, Princeton, Ill., and

one-third to Howard E. Wagner, New York,

Application November 8, 1946, Serial No. 708,659

6 Claims. (Cl. 92 17 This invention relates to a process for makingpaper pulp from so-called marshland rushes or marsh grasses or reeds andlike coarse grassy cellulose-bearing plants.

I am aware that attempts have been made heretofore to manufacture paperpulp from socalled marshland rushes or marsh grasses or reeds and thelike but, insofar as I am aware, none of these processes has met withany commercial success.

In the development of the present invention I have found that in orderto manufacture paper pulp successfully from so-called marshland rushesor marsh grasses or reeds or like coarse grassy cellulose-bearing plantsit is essential that the various steps employed be carefully controlledand interrelated as in the process'of the present invention and that thecombination of steps employed in the new process is efiectlve insuccessfully manufacturing paper pulp from such normally wastematerials.

Accordingly. an object of the present invention is to provide a noveland efficient process for making paper pulp from so-called marshlandrushes or marsh grasses or reeds and like coarse grassycellulose-bearing plants.

Other and further objects of the present inventlon will be apparent fromthefollowing description and claims and by reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view, largely diagrammatic but partly in vertical section,partially illustrating a typical flow diagram and a typical apparatuswhich may be employed in practicing the new process;

Fig. 2 is a view, largely diagrammatic, but partly in section, furtherillustrating a typical apparatus which may be employed in the practiceof the process of the present invention and in the treatment of thepaper pulp mat after the same has been discharged from the right handend of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the interfltting pressuredehydrating rollers which are shown adjacent the right hand end of Fig.1 and which cooperate to express most of the liquid from the pulp mat atone step in the new process;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional view on line 4-4 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view on line 5-5 in Fig. 3 partly in section and partly inelevation.

A suitable apparatus which may be employed in the practice of the newprocess'of the present invention is illustrated largely diagrammaticallyin the drawings and is therein generally indicated at I0, and includes aplurality of tanks or receptacles ll, l2, I3, I4, l5, l6 and I1, whichmay be arranged in end to end relationship, and a dryer unit l8 (Fig. 2)which is arranged at the delivery or outlet end of the tank orreceptacle l1. Thus it will be seen that in the practice of the presentinvention all of the parts of the apparatus illustrated largelydiagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 2 are arranged in end to endrelationship but because of limitations of space the parts have beenshown divided in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The apparatus diagrammatically shown in the drawings and which may beused in the practice of the process of the present invention includes apair of rotatable pressure rollers l9 which rotatably mounted onsuitable horizontally extending supporting shafts 2| which are rotatablymounted one above the other at one end of the tank I I, and a secondpair of rotatable pressure rollers 20 which are rotatably mounted upon Isuitable horizontal shafts 2! which are rotatably mounted one above theother adjacent the other end of the tank II and in spaced relationshipto the pressure rollers [9. A storage and discharge hopper 22 is mountedabove the tank II and has a lower end portion providing a dischargeoutlet 23 which is arranged between the upper pressure rollers l9 and 20above thetank II and is adapted to discharge material from the body ofthe storage hopper 22 between the pressure rollers l9 and 20 into thetank II. This storage and discharge hopper 22 is adapted to contain andhold pulverized quick lime.

The apparatus in also includes an endless conveyor or belt 25 which isarranged in and is adapted to convey material through the tank II. Thisendless conveyor or belt 25 works around a suitable guide roller 26which is rotatably mounted adjacent the bottom of the tank l2 at one endthereof and the belt or conveyor 25 also works around a drive roller 21which is journaled in a suitable support above the tank l2 at theopposite end thereof from the end at which the roller 26 is arranged.

A third pair of pressure rollers 28 are rotatably mounted on suitablehorizontally extending shafts 29 which are mounted one above the otherand above the tank I3 adjacent one end thereof.

A fourth pair of pressure rollers 30 are rotatably mounted on suitablemounting shafts 3| which are arranged one above the other above the tankIS in spaced relationship to the pressure rollers 28. A storage anddischarge hopper 32 is mounted above the tank l3 and has a lower endportion providing a discharge outlet 33 disposed between the upperpressure rollers 28 and 30 and adapted to discharge the contents of thehopper 32 into the tank l3.

An endless conveyor or belt 34 is arranged in the tank M. This endlessconveyor or belt 34 works around a guide roller 35 which is rotatablymounted in the lower end portion of the tank l4 adjacent one endthereof. The endless conveyor or belt 34 also works around a driveroller 36 which is rotatably mounted above the tank l4 and the guideroller 35 is arranged.

A pair of interfitting or intermating grooved pressure and dehydratingrollers 31 are rotatably mounted on suitable horizontally extendingsuphydrating rollers 31 and 33 is provided on its peripheral surfacewith alternately arranged horizontally and axially extending ridges orteeth 50 and horizontally and axially extending grooves or recesses i.Asshown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5 the ridges or teeth in one of the rollers31 are adapted to engage in the grooves or recesses 5| in the otherroller 31 and the ridges or teeth in one of the rollers 39 are adaptedto engage in the grooves or recesses 5| in the other roller 39.

An endless conveyor or belt 4| is arranged in the tank l6. This endlessconveyor or belt 4| works around a suitable roller 42 which is rotatablymounted in the lower end portion of the tank It adjacent one endthereof. The endless conveyor or belt 4| also works around a suitabledrive roller 43 which is rotatably mounted above the tank It adjacentthe end thereof which is opposite the end at which the guide roller 42is mounted' A pair of pressure rollers 52 are rotatably mounted uponsuitable horizontally extending supporting shafts 53 and are arrangedone above the other at one end of the tank II. A second depending uponvariable factors, including the age of the reeds, and their maturity,and may be increased up to'ten pounds of pulverized quicklime for eachone hundred pounds of stock if the marsh reeds or like stockarerelatively mature, dry and coarse. I

The stock thus mixed with pulverized quicklime from the hopper 22 thenpasses into and between the second pair of pressure rollers 24 whichexert a further crushing action on the stock and also press thequicklime into the stock.

The thus treated stock then passes along the flow line 24 into the tankl2 which contains warm water which acts upon the quicklime to slackenthe same. As the stock enters the tank 02 it is discharged onto. theendless conveyor or belt 2! and as it passes through the tank. l2 it ishome up the endless conveyor or belt 25 and during this operation theslacked lime acts upon the pith,

chlorophyl and natural waxes which bind the plant fibers togethertoseparate these materials from the natural cellulose of the reeds orlike 7 stock. At this stage in the process the stock acset of pressurerollers 54 are rotatably mounted parts of the apparatus which is shownlargely diagrammatically in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings,may be of any suitable design and construction. A

In the use of the process of the present invention the paper pulp stockin the form of so-called m-arshland rushes or marsh reeds or like coarsegrassy cellulose bearing materials are fed by means of a suitableconveyor (not shown) along the flow line 24 between the first pair ofpressure rollers 19 which flatten and crush the reeds and extracttherefrom of the natural fluid content or juices borne by such, reedsand'which drains therefrom into the tank ll. As the stock passes out ofthe first pair of pressure rollers l3 and into and between the secondpair of pressure rollers 20 pulverized quick lime is discharged from thelower end or outlet portion 23 of the hopper 22 onto the stock. For thispurpose. I have found that asuitable quantity of pulverized quicklime isone pound of the pulverized quicklime to approximately one hundredpounds of the stock. However, the percentage may be varied quires theform of a loose mat and is discharged from the endless conveyor or belt25'into and between another and third pair of pressure rollers 23 whichserve to expel the bulk of the thin; loosened pith, chlorophyl, andnatural waxes and other residuary material from the plant fibers. thesematerials being thereupon drained into the tank or receptacle l3. i

As the mat emerges from the pressure rollers 28 a bleaching mixture ofpulverized quicklime, common salt and powdered sulphur is dischargedfrom the lower end or outlet 33 of the hopper 32 onto the mat. Eor thispurpose I- have found that a bleaching mixture containing ninety-fiveper cent, by weight, of quicklime, two per cent of common salt or sodiumchloride and three per cent of powdered sulphur is well suited for itsintended purpose which is primarily to bleach the stock and secondarilyto expel residual materials from the plant fibers in the mat.

The mat with the bleaching mixture thus mixed therewith is then fedbetween a fourth pair of pressure rollers 30 which further pulverize thebleaching mixture and press it into intimate association with the matitself as the mat passes between the pressure rollers 34.

The mat is then discharged along the flow line 24 into the tank l4 andonto an' endless conveyor or belt 34.

The tank I4 is adapted to contain hot water and as the mat passesthrough the tank H on' the endless conveyor or belt 34 the hot water inthe tank l4 operates on the bleaching mixture of pulverized quicklime,common salt and powdered sulphur to effect a chemical reaction betweenthese materials to form a bleaching solution probably according to thefollowing general reaction:

, most of theimpurities in the mat so that the mat emerges from the tankIt on the endless conveyor orbelt 4| as a substantially clean paper pulpmat.

The thus treated paper pulp mat then follows the flow line 24, from theright hand end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 into the left hand endof the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, and is directed between the pair ofpressure rollers 52 and thence between a second pair of pressurer'ollers 55 which press substantially all of the water out of the pulpmat and convert the same into a substantially homogeneous endless paperpulp mat or sheet. The liquid expressed from the mat during thisoperation flows into the tank IT.

The paper pulp mat thus formed then passes along the flow line 24 intothe drying apparatus i8 and onto the lower endless belt 41 and betweenthe latter and the upper endless belt 44 by which the mat is conductedthrough the drying apparatus l8 and is thus dried.

The thus prepared paper pulp emerges from the drying apparatus 18 as asubstantially homogeneous paper pulp mat and is then ready for a balingor reeling whereupon it may be delivered to a paper mill for furtherprocessing or use.

The waste products collected in the tank ll may be processed intosuitable by-products such, for example, as commercial ethyl alcohol andother materials, and the waste by-products collected in the tank I 3 maybe used for fertilizer.

Likewise, the waste material collected in'the tank I! may be used as afertilizer which is especially adapted for use with citrus trees.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present inventionprovides a novel process for preparing a paper pulp mat from naturalso-called marshland rushes or marsh reeds or like coarse grassycellulose-bearing natural plants which are ordinarily waste materialsand available in large quantities. Hence the present invention has theadvantages and desirable characteristicsand accomplishes its intendedobjects including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which areinherent in the invention.

I claim: j a

1. A process of preparing paper p lp mat from marsh reeds whichcomprises the steps of crushing the said marsh reeds, dischargingpulverized quicklime onto the crushed marsh reed stock.

further crushing the marsh reed stock having the pulverized quickli'meintermixed therewith, passing the thus crushed marsh reed stock havingthe said quicklime mixed therewith through water to slacken the saidquicklime and to convert the said crushed marshreed stock into the formoi a loose mat, further crushing the said loose mat thus formed.bleaching the said mat and converting it into the form of asubstantially homogeneous paper pulp mat, expressing the 6 liquidcontent from the said mat after the'bleaching operation, then washingthe mat in water, expressing the bulk of the water from the thus washedmat, and then drying the mat,

2. A process of proparing paper pulp mat from march reeds as defined inclaim 1 in which the operation of bleaching the mat is effected bydischarging onto the moving mat a mixture of pulverized quicklime,sodiumchlorlde and powdered 10 sulphur and then passing the mat with thesaid bleaching mixture thereon through warm water.,

3. A process of preparing paper pulp mat from marsh reeds as defined inclaim 1 in which the operation of bleaching the mat is eifected bydischarging onto the moving mat a mixture con-' sisting of approximatelyninety-five (95) per cent of pulverized quicklime, two (2) per cent ofso-' dium chloride, and three (3) per cent of powdered sulphur, byweight, and then passing the mat having the said bleaching mixtureintermixed therewith through warm water.

4. A process of preparing paper pulp mat from marsh reeds as defined inclaim 1 in which the said quicklime is discharged onto the initiallycrushed marsh reed stock in a ratio of about one (1) pound of quicklimeto about one hundred (100) pounds of the said initially crushed marshreed stock, by weight.

5. A process of preparing paper pulp mat from marsh reeds as defined inclaim 1 in which the said quicklime is discharged onto the initiallycrushed marsh reed stock in a ratio of about one (1) pound of quicklimeto about one hundred (100) pounds of the said initially crushed marshreed stock. by weight, in which the operation of bleaching the mat iseflected by discharging onto the moving mat a mixture of pulverizedquicklime, sodium chloride and powdered sulphur and then passing the matwith the said bleaching mixture thereon through warm water.

6. A process of preparing paper pulp mat from marsh reeds as defined inclaim 1 in which the said quicklime is discharged onto the initiallycrushed marsh reed stock in a ratio of about one (1) pound of quicklimeto about one hundred (100) pounds of the said initially crushed marshreed stock, by weight, in which the operation of,

bleaching the mat is efl'ected by discha 'slng onto the moving mat amixture consisting of approxim mately ninety-five (95) per cent ofpulverized quicklime, two (2) per cent of sodium chloride, and three (3)per cent of powdered sulphur, by weight,-and then passing the mat havingthe said bleaching mixture intermixed therewith through warmwater.

LOUIS 1:. Joanna;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the a file ofthis patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number o'nma manners -Paper Making Materials, byWest, published York. N. 11., pages .173 and 174.

. 1928, by Lockwood Trade Journal (20., Ina, New

